Shipping container



Aug. 2, 1966 F. cz. MA'rsoN SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Aug. 27. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l FREDERIC c. MATsoN ATToRNEns Aug. 2, 1966 F. c. MATsoN 3,253,894 l SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Aug. 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,263,894 SHIPPING CONTAINER Frederic C. Matson, P.O. Box 498, Martinsburg, W. Va. Filed Aug. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 304,864 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-15) This invention relates to shipping containers of the compartmented carton type which is so constructed and arranged as to provide great resistance against crushing forces, the container thus being especially adaptable for the shipping of perishab-le fresh fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, apricots `and plums for example.

The principal object of the pre-sent invention is to provide a shipping container of corrugated paperboard which comprises a carton provided with a novel internal strut construction which not only cooperates with the carton walls to securely brace them against external crushing forces, but which also is so constructed as to provide separate cells or compartments for receiving prepackaged consumer units, such as plastic bags of perishable fruit.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a shipping container of the foregoing type, ya novel construction wherein the internal strut construction comprises a novel partition member formed of corrugated paperboard which is shaped to form a plurality of bottom panels contacting the folded end of the carton, land to form also a plurality of upstanding duplex or double-walled partitions, the partition member preferably including a slotted divider member cooperating with the partition-s to maintain them in proper position and provide a plurality of cells for the reception of the prepackaged consumer units.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shipping container of the above type wherein the internal compartment strut or bracing structure is such as to oder great resistance to external compres-sive or crushing forces which would be met where a plurality of containers were stacked for storage or transportation or were stacked and strapped together, as in the case of palletized load shipments.

Still another object is to provide increased strength for the container by arranging the corrugations of the paperboard material of the carton walls and the partition member so that they are parallel and in line with the direction of the Iaction of any compressive or crushing forces, when the containers are stacked. V

Other objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken with thel accompanying drawings illustrative of one form of the invention. It is to'be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are utilized for purposes of illustration only and arenot to be taken as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this latter purpose to the appended claims. 4

Referring to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the sever-a1 Views:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the carton blank;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a partition member blank which embodies ,the principles of the present invention, and which, when folded, may be placed within the erected carton at the bottom thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a divider which is adapted for use with the partition member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side View of the partition member when folded and assembled with the divider of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan View of a further partition member blank which, when folded, is placed within the carton and on top of the partition member of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the divider for use with the partition member of FIG. 5;

Patented August 2, 1966 rice FIG. 7 is a side view of the folded partition member of FIG. 5 when assembled with the divider of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled shipping container, certain parts being broken away to illustrate the manner in which the prepack-aged consumer units are packed within the compartments or cells of the container;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 and showing the packing of the consumer units within the cells formed by the lower partition member;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 10-10 of FIG. 8 and illustrating the arrangement of certain of the consumer units in the cells formed by both the lower and upper partition members;

FIG. ll is a fragmentary View illustrating the disposition of the corrugations in .the double-walled partitions of the partition members, and

FIG. 12 is a perspective View of a plurality of the shipping containers of the invention arranged as a unitized load, including a pallet to which the containers are strapped.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein, a carton blank 20 of corrugated paperboard material comprising end wall panels 22, 24 and side wall panels 26, 28, said panels being dened by score or fold lines 30, 32, 34 and 36, a short side flap or panel 3-8 being connected to the side wall panel 28 for attachment to the end wall panel 22 when the carton is erected in tubular form. Adjacent the upper portions of the end wall and side wall panels, a plurality of foldable top flaps 40, 42, 44 and 46 are provided by a horizontal score line 48, and in like manner, a plurality of fold'able bottom ilaps 50, 52, 54 and 56 are provided at the lower portions of the end and side wall panels by a horizontal score line 58. It will be readily understood that the top and bottom -aps are separated by the usual cut lines `60, 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70 so that the flaps are separated and may be folded and secured together to form the top and bottom of the container when the carton is erected as illustrated at FIG. 8.

One of the important features of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel internal strut or bracing structure for the assembled carton 72, which is also constructed and arranged as to provide compartments or -cel-ls for the reception of prepackaged consumer units. In the form of the invention illustrated, such bracing structure is formed as a partition member 71, and the blank 73 therefor is illustrated in FIG. 2 as being formed of corrugated paperboard material and including three bottom walls 74, 76 and 78 and two pairs of partition walls 80,

82 and 84, 86 said walls being defined by fold or score lines 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 and 98. :Blank 73 is folded about the score lines in the manner shown in FIG. 4 where the partition walls 80, 82 contact each other to form a duplex or double-walled partition 100 and the partition walls 84, 86 are in contact and form a similar duplex or double walled partition 102. As shown, the blank 76 is slotted at 104 and 106 to receive a divider 108, see FIG. 3, the divider having half slots 110 and 112 which engage the partitions 100 and 102 when the divider 108 is inserted into the slots 104 and 106 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4. The use of the divider 108 doubles the number of available compartments or cells for packing the consumer units and also maintains the partitions in parallel relationship as clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 8.

In the form of the invention illustrated, an additional bracing structure is preferably employed and is formed fold lines 124, 126 and 128. Blank 114 is folded about the score lines in the manner shown in FIG. 7 where the partition walls 120 and 122 contact each other to form a duplex or double-walled partition 130. Blank 114 is slotted at 132 to receive a divider 134 of corrugated paperboard, see FIGS. 6 and 7, the divider being provided with a half-slot 136 so as to engage the duplex partition as illustrated in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the carton blank is assembled in the usual manner with the side flap 38 stapled or otherwise secured to the end flap 22 and with the bottom flaps 50, 52, 54 and 56 overlapped :and secured to each other to form the base 138 of the container. The partition member 71, assembled in the manner shown in FIG. 4 is then inserted into the carton and occupies the bottom portion thereof with the bottom walls 74, 76 and 78 of the partition 71 contacting the container base 138. It is desired to point out and emphasize that the dimensions of the partition member 71 are also such that the opposite vertical edges of the divider 108 snugly engage the end walls 22 and 24 and that the opposite vertical edges of the partitions 100 and 102 snugly engage the yside walls 26 and 28. In this manner, the partition member 71 constitutes a strut or bracing structure between the walls of the container as well as providing six separate cells or -compartments for the reception of the prepackaged consumer units 140 such as plastic film bagged apples, see FIGS. 8, 9 and lO. As shown in the latter figures, the dimensions of the cells formed in the partition member 71 are such that the consumer units, such as bagged apples, are ,arranged vertically.

After packing the cells ofthe lower partition member 71, the upper partition member 113, assembled in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7, is then inserted into the carton and occupies the upper portion thereof, the dimensions of the said upper partition member being such that opposite vertical edges of the divider 134 snugly engage the end walls 22 and 24 while the opposite vertical edges of the partition 130 snugly engage the side walls 26 and 28. As shown in FIG. 8, the top horizontal edges of the partition 130 and the divider 134 are coincident with the fold lines between the top flaps and the side and end walls of the carton. Thus, after packing the four cells of the upper partition member 113 with the consumer units 140, and after the top flaps are overlapped and secured together, it will be readily understood that the partition member 113 `constitutes a strut or bracing structure between the walls of the container and the top thereof. For reasons which will appear more fully hereinafter, the consumer units 140 which are packed in the cells of the upper partition member 113 are arranged horizontally.

In order to utilize the maximum strength of the novel combined bracing `and compartmented partition structures of the present invention, the packed container 72 is rotated 90 about the forward or rear edge of the base or bottom 138 to rest upon its side, and a plurality of containers, so arranged, may be stacked in four tiers, for example, upon a suitable pallet 142, see FIG. 12, following which, they lare suitably strapped to the pallet `as by means of straps 144, 145 and 147. With each container resting on its side, the duplex partitions 100, 102 and 130 form double-walled struts between the container side walls. In addition, the bottom walls 74, 76 and 78 contact the base 138 of the container to materially strengthen the container in that area. Since the majority of forces tending to crush cartons arranged in a palletized load, ,as shown in FIG. 12, come from the exterior vand the top of the stack, the containers are preferably arranged, not only on their sides, as above described, but also with the tops thereof in opposed and contacting relation .and with the bottoms 138 and the ends 22 or 24 forming the outer walls of the stacked tiers.

In order to facilitate stacking and subsequent strapping Iof the containers upon a pallet, each carton is marked with arrows or other indicia 146 at each end to indicate the portions of maximum strength, while each end or side may be marked with other arrows 148 to indicate the container tops which are to bel stacked in abutting relationship, as heretofore described. It will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 8 that the arrows 146 are positioned substantially midway between the upper and lower portions of the lower partition member 71. The carton blank is also preferably marked with arrows or other indicia 150 and 152 Ion the side wal-ls 26 and 28 and adjacent bottom flaps 52 and 56 so -that the arrows will be readily observable when the carton is erected, see FIG. 1. Here again, the arrows are positioned to indicate the location of the internal bracing formed by the duplex partitions and 102, arrows 150 being coincident with the opposite edges of the duplex partition 102 while arrows 152 are coincident with the opposite edges of .the duplex partition 100 when the carton is erected. Thus, when the containers are strapped in the manner shown in FIG. l2, the arrows 146 serve as guides for lthe straps 144; the arrows 150 serve as gui-des for -the straps 145, while the arrows 152 serve as guides for the straps 147. Thus, when the straps are tightened, the compressive forces thereof will be exerted on the containers at portions of maximum strength and maximum resistance to crushing, thereby ensuring that the contents thereof will not be damaged during shipment. It is also contemplated that the sides of the carton may be provided with areas of friction increasing material to provide a more stable unit load when the cartons are stacked.

A further feature of the invention resides in utilizing the corrugations of the paperboard material of which the container is formed, in order to secure additional protection and resistance to forces tending t-o crush the container and thereby damage the contents thereof. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1l, the corrugations of the material of the double walled partitions 100, 102 and 130 are all arranged parallel with the base. It is also pointed out that the corrugations of the material forming all of the side walls, end walls, and foldable end flaps of the container, as well as the corrugations of the bottom walls 74, 76 and 78 of the partition member 71 and the bottom walls 116 and 118 of the partition member 113 are also arranged parallel with the base. Due to this construction, when the container is placed on its side, as above described, .the corrugations of the partitions 100, 102 and 130, the corrugations of the bottom walls 74, 76, 78, 1'16 and 118 of such partitions, as well as the corrugations of the end walls 22 and 24, and the corrugations of the end flaps 40, 44, 50 and 54 will all be arranged vertically. Hence, the container is provided with bracing of unusual strength and is thus capable of withstanding loads of considerable magnitude which would otherwise crush paperboard cartons n-ot constructed in accordance with the present invention.

It will be noted from the foregoing, that in packing the container, the consumer units which are packed in the cells of the lower partition member 71 are arranged vertically while those packed in the cells of the upper partition member 113 are arranged horizontally. When the container is placed on its side however, for stacking as in FIG. 12, it will be understood that all of the consumer units will be arranged horizontally. In this manner, the loadon the fruit at the bottom of each consumer unit will be decreased and thus danger of bruising will be materially decreased.

The container heretofore described is constructed to provide ten cells for one or more prepackaged consumer units. It will `be understood however, that containers may be utilized for accommodating only six consumer units, in which case the upper partition member 113 is not needed and the carton is correspondingly shortened in height. Furthermore, if it is desired to pack twelve consumer units, two partition members similar to partition member 71 may be used, and the height of the carton correspondingly increased. Also, two or more prepackaged consumer units may be placed in each cell, if desired.

Thus the invention is readily adaptable for various size packs wherein all of the consumer units assume a horizontal position when the containers are stacked for shipment.

While one form of the invention has been shown and described herein with considerable particularity, it Will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A corrugated paperboard container constructed for stacking on one of its side walls with similarly formed containers similarly stacked comprising a pair of opposed side Walls, a pair of opposed end walls, a first pair of bottom flaps respectively hingedly connected to said side Walls, a second pair of bottom aps respectively hingedly connected to said end walls, said bottom flaps being overlapped and secured together to form a bottom Wall, and a partition member insertable into the container having at least a pair of hat bottom panels engaging substantially the entire linterior surface of said bottom wall, and also having at least one vertically extending partition panel formed of a pair of walls in contact with each other, said partition panel being slotted intermediate its edges for receiving a half-slotted vertically positioned divider to provide at least four separated compartments for the reception of goods, said divider and said partition panel being of substantially equal height, the marginal portions of said bottom panels engaging the side and end walls, the vertically extending edges of the divider engaging the end walls, and the vertically extending edges of the partition panel engaging the side walls to respectively provide rigid braces between said opposed end walls and said opposed side walls to support similarly formed containers stacked thereon.

2. A corrugated paperboard container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the corrugations of the paperboard material of the partition member panels, both bottom and vertical are arranged parallel to said bottom Wall.

3. A corrugated paperboard container as set forth in claim 1 wherein the corrugations of the paperboard material of the bottom and vertical panels of said partition member are arranged parallel to the bottom wall.

4. In a corrugated paper container constructed for stacking on one of its side walls with similarly formed containers, comprising a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end Walls, a -rst pair of bottom flaps respectively hingedly connected to said side walls, a second pair of bottom aps respectively hingedly connected to said end walls, said bottom aps being overlapped and secured together to form a bottom wall, and a partition member insertable into the container folded to have at least a pair of fiat bottom panels engaging substantially th-e entire interior surface of said bottom wall and to have at least one vertically extending partition panel to form at least two compartments for the reception of goods, the marginal portions of said bottom panels engaging the side and end walls and the vertically extending edges of the partition panel engaging the opposed side walls to provide rigid bracing therebetween, when the container is stacked on one of its 4sid-e walls to support containers similarly stacked thereon, the corrugations of the paperboard material of the partition panel are being arranged parallel to said bottom wall.

5. A corrugated paperboard container comprising a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end walls, 'a rst pair of bottom aps respectively hingedly connected to said side walls, a second air of bottom aps respectively hingedly connected to said end walls, said bottom flaps ibeing overlapped and secured together to form a bottom wall, `and a plurality of top flaps adapted to be overlapped to form a top wall, a rst partition member insertable into the container having a plurality of flat bottom panels engaging substantially the entire interior surface of said bottom wall and also having a plurality of vertically extending partition panels each being formed of a pair of walls lin contact with each other, said partition panels receiving a vertically arranged divider to provide a plurality of cells for the reception of goods, the height of said divider being equal to the height of said partition panels, a second partition member insertable into the container `and having a plurality of flat bottom panels supported upon the upper edges of said partition panels and said divider to prov-ide top closures for said cells, said second partition member including at least one vertically extending double-Walled partition panel receiving a vertically arranged divider member to provide a plurality of cells for the reception of goods, the height of said divider member being equal to the height of said last named partition panel, and the upper edges of the divider member and last named partition panel lying substantially in the plane of the top flaps when the latter are overlapped, the marginal portions of said bottom panels engaging the side and end Walls, the vertically extending edges of the divider and divider member engaging the end walls, and the vertically extending edges of the partition panels engaging the side walls to respectively provide rigid 4braces between ysaid opposed end walls and said opposed side walls.

6. A corrugated paperboard container as set forth in claim 5 wherein the corrugations of the paperboard material of all parts of the partition panels are arranged parallel to said bottom wall.

7. A palletized load unit of-stacked, rectangularlyshaped paperboard containers arranged 'and strapped on a pallet, said unit including at least two tiers of containers stacked upon the pallet with the top walls of the containers in one tier vertically arranged in abutting relationship with the top walls of the containers of the other tier and with the end and bottom walls of the containers forming the vertically outer walls of the unit, each container including a first internal partition member having a plurality of flat bottom panels engaging substantially the entire bottom wall and with the marginal portions of said panels engaging the side and end walls, said partition member including a plurality of laterally extending partition panels each being formed of a pair of walls in contact with each other and said partition panels receiving a divider to provide a plurality of cells for the reception of goods, each container also including a second internal partition m-ember having a plurality of flat bottom panels engaging the free edges of the partition panels and divider and with the marginal portions of the last named bottom panels engaging the side and end Walls, said second partition member including at least lone laterally extending double-walled partition panel receiving a divider member to provide a plurality of cells for the reception of the good-s, the outer edges of all the partition panels engaging the container side walls to provide rigid bracing therebetween to prevent crushing of the containers strapped to said pallet.

References Cited bythe Examiner THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETI, JOSEPH R. LECLAIR,

Examiners. J. B. MARBERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD CONTAINER CONSTRUCTED FOR STACKING ON ONE OF ITS SIDE WALLS WITH SIMILARLY FORMED CONTAINERS SIMILARLY STACKED COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, A PAIR OF OPPOSED END WALLS, A FIRST PAIR OF BOTTOM FLAPS RESPECTIVELY HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE WALLS, A SECOND PAIR OF BOTTOM FLAPS RESPECTIVELY HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID END WALLS, SAID BOTTOM FLAPS BEING OVERLAPPED AND SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM A BOTTOM WALL, AND A PARTITION MEMBER INSERTABLE INTO THE CONTAINER HAVING AT LEAST A PAIR OF FLAT BOTTOM PANELS ENGAGING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND ALSO HAVING AT LEAST ONE VERTICALLY EXTENDING PARTITION PANEL FORMED TO A PAIR OF WALLS IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, SAID PARTITION PANEL BEING SLOTTED INTERMEDIATE ITS EDGES FOR RECEIVING A HALF-SLOTTED VERTICALLY POSITIONED DIVIDER TO PROVIDE AT LEAST FOUR SEPARATED COMPARTMENTS FOR THE RECEPTION OF GOODS, SAID DIVIDER AND SAID PARTITION PANEL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL HEIGHT, THE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID BOTTOM PANELS ENGAGING THE SIDE AND END WALLS, THE VERTICALLY EXTENDING EDGES OF THE DIVIDER ENGAGING THE END WALLS, AND THE VERTICALLY EXTENDING EDGES OF THE PARTITION PANEL ENGAGING THE SIDE WALLS TO RESPECTIVELY PROVIDE RIGID BRACES BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED END WALLS AND SAID OPPOSED SIDE WALLS TO SUPPORT SIMILARLY FORMED CONTAINERS STACKED THEREON. 